Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Authority for Luxury Travel Ratings
Forbes Travel Guide has been the global authority on luxury hospitality since 1958, when we pioneered the Five-Star rating system as Mobil Travel Guide. Our team of anonymous, highly trained inspectors evaluates properties worldwide based on up to 900 objective criteria, ensuring unbiased, rigorous assessments. We emphasize service excellence as the cornerstone of memorable guest experiences, paying our own way to maintain independence.With decades of experience, we provide travelers and industry professionals with trusted insights into the worlds finest hotels, restaurants, spas, and cruise ships. Our commitment to transparency, expertise, and continuous refinement of global hospitality standards has solidified our reputation as the gold standard in luxury travel verification.
Services
Luxury Hotel Ratings
Restaurant Inspections
Spa Evaluations
Cruise Ship Ratings
Five-Star Certification
Travel Guides
Industry Consultation
Award Programs
Global Inspections
Service Standards Development
Details
- Year established: 1958
Highlights and features
- We have over 60 years of experience pioneering the Five-Star rating system for luxury hospitality.
- Our inspectors evaluate properties based on up to 900 objective criteria, ensuring rigorous assessments.
- We maintain anonymity to guarantee unbiased, independent evaluations of service and facilities.
- Our ratings emphasize service excellence, ensuring memorable guest experiences worldwide.
- We are the original creators of the Five-Star rating system, setting the standard since 1958.
What people say
Trusted authority
Unbiased assessments
Rigorous standards
Global expertise
Service excellence
Services
Luxury Hotel Ratings
Our expert inspectors evaluate luxury hotels globally using 900+ objective criteria, focusing on service excellence and guest experience. We ensure unbiased assessments by paying our own way and staying anonymous. Our Five-Star ratings help travelers identify the world's finest accommodations.
Restaurant Inspections
We assess luxury restaurants based on rigorous service and facility standards, emphasizing memorable culinary experiences. Our anonymous evaluations ensure impartiality, guiding travelers to top-tier dining destinations worldwide through the Five-Star system.
Cruise Ship Ratings
Our team inspects luxury ocean cruise ships, evaluating service quality and onboard facilities against strict criteria. Ratings highlight exceptional maritime experiences, helping travelers choose cruises that meet our Five-Star standards for excellence.
Five-Star Certification
We award Five-Star, Four-Star, and Recommended ratings based on exhaustive evaluations of service and facilities. Our certification process ensures credibility, setting the global benchmark for luxury hospitality since 1958.
Global Inspections
Our inspectors conduct anonymous, in-person evaluations worldwide, adhering to strict protocols for consistency. This process guarantees unbiased ratings, reinforcing our reputation as the trusted authority in luxury travel verification.
People
Jeff Arnold
Chairman
Digital media pioneer Jeff Arnold founded Sharecare and transformed Mobil Travel Guide into Forbes Travel Guide in 2009. He has received numerous awards for innovation in healthcare and media, including the Blumenthal Award from Johns Hopkins University.
Gerard J. Inzerillo
Vice Chairman
Gerard Inzerillo led Forbes Travel Guide's globalization from 20142018 and now develops Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Gate project. He has shaped iconic hospitality brands like Atlantis and One&Only Resorts over a 50-year career.
Hermann Elger
CEO
Hermann Elger brings 30 years of luxury hospitality experience to Forbes Travel Guide, previously managing Baccarat Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton. He launched health security verification programs and holds leadership roles in global travel initiatives.
Amanda Frasier
President Standards & Ratings
Amanda Frasier oversees Forbes Travel Guide's Star Rating system and industry standards. She leads global events connecting luxury brands and has shaped hospitality trends through rigorous evaluation processes.
Tim Brooke-Webb
Chief Commercial Officer
Tim Brooke-Webb expanded The World's 50 Best from restaurants to global hospitality awards. At Forbes Travel Guide, he drives commercial strategy, leveraging 15 years of leadership in luxury travel recognition programs.
Questions
What is Forbes Travel Guide's rating system?
Our Five-Star rating system evaluates luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and cruise ships based on up to 900 objective criteria through anonymous inspections.
How do you ensure unbiased ratings?
Our inspectors pay their own way and remain anonymous to guarantee impartial assessments of service and facilities.
When was Forbes Travel Guide founded?
We were founded in 1958 as Mobil Travel Guide, creating the original Five-Star rating system for hospitality.
How can a property get rated?
Properties are selected for evaluation based on global coverage goals; no one can request or pay for a rating.
What regions do you cover?
We rate properties in over 90 countries, including hotels, restaurants, spas, and cruise ships worldwide.
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